House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) raised concerns about President Joe Biden’s threat to withhold aid from Israel, suggesting it could be a sign of cognitive decline. In an interview with Politico, Johnson, who recently fended off an attempt to remove him as speaker, expressed surprise at Biden’s statements regarding cutting off offensive weapons to Israel if they invaded Rafah. Johnson found Biden’s remarks contradictory to what he had been told in private conversations, leading him to speculate that Biden may have made a mistake.
Johnson recounted how just 24 hours prior, top administration officials had assured him that the policy regarding aid to Israel was different from what Biden stated publicly. He hoped that Biden’s comments were just a “senior moment” and not a deliberate change in policy. Johnson also mentioned his discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to clarify the situation, expressing his disappointment and feeling of betrayal over the conflicting information provided by the administration.
Many Republicans, including Johnson, strongly criticized Biden for his statements, with some Democratic figures also voicing their disapproval. The backlash from both sides of the aisle highlighted the gravity of the situation and the impact of Biden’s words on US-Israel relations.
